In recent years, as portable electronic devices (e.g., mobile phones and digital cameras) become ubiquitous, much effort has been put into reducing dimensions of portable electronic devices. Moreover, as dimensions of charged coupled device (CCD) and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) based optical sensors are reduced, dimensions of imaging lenses for use with the optical sensors must be correspondingly reduced without significantly compromising optical performance. Imaging quality and size are two of the most important characteristics of imaging lenses.
The design of the optical imaging lens having good imaging quality and miniaturized size, does not simply reside in reducing dimensions of an imaging lens with good imaging quality. The design process involves considering properties/characteristics of the materials, and practicality problems such as its assembly yield.
Therefore, greater technical difficulties are encountered for a miniaturized imaging lens than for traditional imaging lenses. Producing an imaging lens that meets requirements of consumer electronic products while having satisfactory optical performance is always a goal in the industry.